The Messenger
by uoduck
Summary: Just as the dwarves and Gandalf reach Mirkwood after riding from Beorn's cabin, a lone elf maiden rides up to them with a message from the Lady Galadriel. Elf!Harry and this is a genderswapped Harry story, too.
1. Chapter 1

AN:

As per one of my reader's request, I have started to write a fem!Harry/Thranduil story.

I don't own Harry Potter or Hobbit. JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson do.

* * *

_**Miriel**_**, **_**it's time. Go to the Mirkwood; the dwarves will be there in four hours. Guide them through the forest and see if King Thranduil needs any help.**__**Tell Mithrandir**__**my message.**_

Miriel turned to look at her lady, the light of Lothlorien, Galadriel. She raised an eyebrow at her friend and nodded. Her lady had just come from a meeting in Rivendell and she had been more... agitated than normal. She saw Galadriel return the nod, only a little more subtly as she was conversing with her bonded partner, Celeborn at the same time.

Miriel lightly strode past the two and down the stairs, taking them two at a time. She padded along the path that went around the tree, straight to her own quarters. She would miss Caras Galadhon but both her and Galadriel had known that her own time would come to make her presence known. For some reason, Galadriel had told her to keep her powers and abilities secret until now. For now, no one knew about her; the only Istari of elvenkind and the only female Istari.

Miriel wasn't even sure if Mithrandir knew about her; certainly Galadriel had described him often enough since she had come to Arda a thousand years ago. Once she arrived at her quarters, she pulled out her travel bag and started throwing a couple of sets of clothes together and the necessary things she would need for a trip such as this. As she finished packing, she threw on her real armor and took off her ceremonial armor which she wore when she was guarding the throne room.

Only Galadriel knew of what she was before Arda, that Eru transformed her from a human to an elf to save her in her former home of England. She had cast an expelliarmus toward Voldemort only for him to cast the Killing Curse toward her. Right before it had hit her, a bright light had enveloped her and changed her, bringing her to Arda, and then knowledge flowed into her. Of the elvish language, of elvish culture, dwarvish culture(and their language) and human culture.

Miriel strapped her various knives on various hiding places on her body then strapped her sword to her waist. Then she gathered her quiver full of arrows and strapped that to her back as well and added her travel pack. She took one last glance at her room then stepped out back into Lórien then started down the stairs, heading in the direction of the stable.

She climbed down the rope ladder to reach the forest floor and there saw the stable that held the horses of Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn and the horses of their staff. Amongst them was her horse, a dapple grey stallion by the name of Storm and the instant that he saw her, he nickered in greeting.

Miriel laughed lightly and pulled the apple that she had brought for him out of her pocket, walking up to his stall and feeding it to him. As he ate, she went to grab his saddle and bridle and grooming materials and then opened the stall door. She started to groom him, flicking off the bits of dirt, straw and grass that he had managed to accumulate in the past day or so.

When she was finished grooming him, she went through the process of tacking him up while he stood still.

"We have somewhere to be," Miriel whispered to him as she put the saddle on him. She strapped her pack and her sword to the saddle as well. "You up for a run?"

Storm turned his head to look at her and Miriel could have sworn he was looking at her, like _Who? Me? I'm always ready for a run!_

Miriel chuckled, stroking his soft neck for a minute before gathering his bridle and slipping it over his head. She led Storm out of his stall, flicked her wrist to close the stall and led him out of the stable. She passed by one or two of her kin who stared at her for a second or two and gestured a goodbye. Miriel returned the gesture as she and Storm walked past the stable and through the remaining length of forest.

As soon as they reached the border of Lothlorien, Miriel came to a stop and stared at the vast space that was the Anduin Valley. She glanced at Storm who looked at her then went back to staring at the valley too.

Miriel grinned then went to Storm's left side and swung gracefully up into the saddle. She turned to glance at Lórien one last time then nudged Storm into a smooth canter.

* * *

Bilbo was just glancing at Mirkwood while the others untacked their horses when he heard something. Whatever he heard wasn't in the forest but it was coming from the south. He turned to look in that direction, seeing Thorin walk over to stand alongside him then...

"There's someone coming!" Dwalin shouted. With that, all of the dwarves pulled their weapons out of their sheaths; Thorin even pulled Bilbo to stand behind him. Bilbo rolled his eyes at the dwarf and turned to peek in front of him.

Bilbo saw Gandalf turn to stare at the incoming horse and rider and just when Bilbo was turning to stare that way, he saw the wizard's jaw drop in surprise.

"Gandalf?" Bilbo enquired from behind Thorin still. "What's the problem?"

"Nothing, Bilbo," Gandalf replied distractedly. "The Lady of Lórien has been keeping secrets, I see."

The horse and rider had finally caught up to them and Bilbo realized that the rider was an elf. The elf had dark auburn hair, light green eyes and... what looked like a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on her forehead. The elf had golden armor on and a bow with a quiver strapped to her back.

"Mithrandir, I bear a message from the Lady Galadriel," the rider spoke in a soft lilting voice. Bilbo watched as the elf dismounted from the tall horse and came to stand at the horse's head.

"Who's Galadriel?" Bilbo heard Ori ask.

"She is the lady of Lothlórien," Gandalf replied, staring at the elf as he spoke. "What is your name, my lady?"

"Im Miriel eston," the elf spoke, turning to look at the assembled dwarves.

Gandalf nodded then Bilbo watched as they started to speak in the elvish tongue for a couple minutes. Most of the dwarves grew bored and went about making sure they had enough in their packs. Bilbo had shuffled out from behind Thorin as he was pretty sure the elf posed no threat; Gandalf would have said something if it was otherwise.

"It's settled then," Gandalf spoke, back in the common tongue again. "I will go to the tombs beneath the mountain."

Bilbo jumped and turned to gape at Gandalf. The dwarves turned to gape at the wizard too and Bilbo heard them grumble, growing in volume steadily. "What? But Gandalf, you're suppose to guide us through Mirkwood!"

"My dear hobbit, I have urgent business to tend to," Gandalf replied, striding over to where Nori had started to undo the girth from his horse. "Leave the saddle on my horse."

Nori stepped away and walked over to Dori and Ori's side. Bilbo watched as the elf maiden pulled off the packs that were on her horse's saddle and strapped them to her back, along with affixing twin swords to her belt at her waist.

"Then who's going to be our guide through the forest?" Bilbo exclaimed. "I told you I don't like the feel of this forest."

Bilbo startled a little when Thorin wrapped an arm around him in reassurance. Bilbo slumped into Thorin's side.

Gandalf sighed, glanced at the elf woman who nodded at him then turned back to Bilbo.

"Miriel said that she would guide you through the forest," Gandalf replied steadily. "There is one catch, however."

"What is it?" Thorin enquired, looking up at Gandalf then over at the elf.

"I will have to take the path that would lead us straight to Thranduil's city," Miriel broke in. "I have orders from my lady to see to the Elvenking there."

"Straight into Thranduil's city?" Thorin repeated, frowning. "I had wanted to avoid that place if possible."

Gandalf sighed. "It is the safest way through the forest."

"Or, I could guide you all the way to his palace and then give you directions to avoid the city," Miriel remarked, narrowing her eyes in thought. "I know there is a bridge over the river in the forest somewhere near the Elvenking's palace."

Bilbo looked between Thorin and the elf lady that was apparently named Miriel. Thorin had lost his frown as Miriel had mentioned a way to avoid the Elvenking.

"That would be preferable," Thorin replied.

"Good. Miriel will guide you through the forest and I will make for the tombs," Gandalf said, going to mount his horse again. "Listen to her and don't go off the path!"

Bilbo watched as Gandalf rode off then looked up to see that Miriel was watching him with a curious eye. Well, she was watching him and Thorin to be precise. She shook her head then led her horse to stand at the foot of the forest, waiting for them.

* * *

AN: Words in italics and bold are Galadriel speaking mind to mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Miriel waited alongside Storm, occasionally looking back at the company of dwarves but mainly stared into the forest. There was a dark aura around what had previously been called the Greenwood and she knew that Lady Galadriel had been worried and from that worry, Miriel had grown nervous too. Something that worried Galadriel that much made Miriel nervous and this journey into the forest would let her see what had happened.

"Um, lady?"

Miriel turned to look down at the hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins and raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" Miriel asked, looking past him and to the dwarves who had lined up after him.

"We're ready," Bilbo hesitantly replied.

"Very well then. Follow me and **don't** go off the path," Miriel said, raising her voice a little to be heard to the last dwarf in line.

She took off into the forest, following the Elf Path that had been set out long before this moment. She led Storm alongside her who was staring ahead of him, ears back. He glanced at her briefly and she nodded reassuringly.

As they ventured further into the forest, Miriel could hear the scattering of little animals and the sounds of the forest. Though, she had expected to hear a lot more which worried her. And she could feel the dark magic that permeated everything from the small creeks running through the forest and the trunks of the trees.

* * *

They were in the deep forest when Miriel stiffened and stopped, reaching a hand behind her to prevent Bilbo and then Thorin from running into her.

"What? Why have we stopped?" Thorin growled a bit too loud for her liking.

Miriel reached behind her to pull her bow from her back and nocked an arrow. "Gaurhoth, servant of Sauron."

"Gaurhoth?" Bilbo whispered as the dwarves put their hands on their weapons.

"Werewolf in the common tongue, Master Hobbit," Miriel murmured as she saw that Storm had gone still along with her. She watched as her horse took a deep breath and his eyes fill with white. "Shh, mellon. It's okay."

"'Werewolf'?!" Bilbo squeaked, backing up into Thorin, who wrapped an arm around him.

"Yes," Miriel answered. "This forest is undoubtedly ill but the presence of that creature... We have left Mirkwood alone for far too long."

"I had thought that those creatures were all but killed," one of the dwarves with white hair and a white beard said, walking up to Thorin's side.

"They weren't, apparently. Now hush, it hasn't noticed us yet," Miriel ordered. "Storm, stay put."

She dropped the reins and watched as the dreaded creature came into her vision. It was on two feet and it was ugly: hair all over its' body, long fangs in its' mouth, and long claws on both its' hands and feet. Miriel shuddered as she saw that the creature's fur was covered in blood and that it was dragging a carcass of something along with it. Or... Miriel watched as the body moved and it wasn't due to it bumping into rocks on the ground. The person, as it was human shaped, was still alive! The only noises in the forest right now that she could hear were the heavy footsteps of the wolf and the quiet breathing of the hobbit and the dwarves behind her.

That was all that she could hear in the forest until one of the dwarves sneezed, loudly.

A growling filled the air and Miriel winced as the werewolf turned in their direction. Its' eyes were glowing a very dark red, as if spelled that way by dark magic. The minute the creature dropped its' victim, Miriel released the arrow that she had nocked.

She heard another arrow being released and she briefly glanced behind her to see that the younger dark haired dwarf was holding a bow.

The werewolf growled and roared in anger and Miriel cursed. Now that it started to run toward them on four legs, she could see that it had a couple other arrows in it. But it had not yet died.

Bilbo yelped and Miriel heard someone, probably Thorin pull the hobbit behind him. The sliding of steel out of sheaths was heard and Miriel strapped her bow back to her back and drew out her curved blade in her left hand.

Miriel watched as a couple of the dwarves rushed the werewolf and groaned. "Don't let it bite you!"

The bald dwarf shouted something back in Khuzdul then went to slashing at the wolf. Miriel rolled her eyes at what he had said and went to join the fray. The werewolf consistently didn't want to die but it eventually fell to many blows from the bald dwarf's war hammer and Thorin's elven sword and to one last blow from Miriel's sword.

The wolf fell with a thump to the ground and Miriel glanced at it for a second, sheathed her blade and strode over to where the body was. It was an elf, who was currently gasping ans shaking. A young elf by the looks of him, maybe only 500 years old?

Miriel knelt down, wiped her hands on her armor and gently placed her hand on the elf's shoulder. "Shhh, odulen an gin eithad. Young one, it's okay. You're safe now."

"Naneth?" The elf finally opened his eyes, looking up at her with pain-glazed eyes.

Miriel blinked. "No, I'm not your mother. Man i eneth gîn?" (What is your name?)

She looked him over as he responded. The werewolf had only managed to use its' claws to rip the elfling's armor off so there was no threat of disease. But his wounds were deep and long and bleeding blood. Miriel turned to look over at the dwarves and spotted one of them holding Storm's reins.

"I'm Legolas Greenleaf," the elf finally said, wincing.

Miriel turned to look back at him and quirked an eyebrow. "You are King Thranduil's son, are you not?"

Legolas nodded, groaning and sniffling a little.

"I'm going to be right back," Miriel murmured, pulling some magic out and pushing it into his body to stem the flow of the blood.

She was about to stand up when she felt him attach his fingers to her wrist. "Don't go."

Miriel sighed and knelt back down and glanced back only to see that the dwarves had vanished... She groaned and quietly whistled over to Storm and he obligingly trotted over to her, avoiding the werewolf carcass. He even knelt beside her, seemingly knowing what to do.

Miriel smiled and patted his neck then reached back for her saddlebags and reached for her first aid pack. She pulled out some bandages and went to work, cleaning Legolas' wounds, cleaning them with a few thorough spells, weaved in a pain-easing charm(though Legolas had since passed out) and finally, whispered a spell to knit the flesh together.

Legolas groaned and twitched in his sleep but stayed unconscious as the spell slowly did its' work. She ran a hand through his hair and he slowly settled. After roughly twenty minutes, Miriel finished up by wrapping his wounds in spelltreated bandages. She then gently scooped Legolas up into her arms and laid him on Storm's back and gestured for Storm to stand up.

"Let's go see what the dwarves got up to," Miriel remarked, taking Storm's reins and leading him back to the path.

* * *

After thirty minutes, she saw no sign of them or heard no sign of them. She sighed; Gandalf had told them to listen to her and to stay on the path! But did they listen? NO. Mirkwood was dangerous as they had seen and yet they still hadn't stayed on the path.

"Dammit!" Miriel cursed aloud then narrowed her eyes when she heard something a mile or two off the path. A certain waddling that sounded like a spider but no spiders produced that volume of noise. But then again, they had seen a werewolf; there could be anything in this forest.

Miriel turned in the direction of the noise then turned to glance at Storm, who was glancing at her patiently.

"Would you mind staying here, my friend? I'll put a few spells on you to hide you and the elf you are carrying."

Storm seemed to study her then nickered quietly, as if in agreement.

"Thanks."

Miriel drew some magic out and touched Storm's flank, willing the magic to come out in a notice-me-not charm and a ward. She withdrew a minute later and she could only see a vague hazy outline of her horse; other creatures would see nothing. She also whispered the incantation for a patronus and a blue translucent wolf, dog and a stag appeared in front of her.

"Guard Storm please."

The three animals nodded and went to stand in front of the horse and with that Miriel turned to stray off the path. However, as she did, the stag trotted over to join her.

* * *

It took her a few minutes but then she finally saw what she had heard and her heart skipped a beat. There were giant spiders that almost came up to her shoulders. She shuddered then shifted into her animagus form.

She shook out her coat and her mane then trotted right into the middle of the spider nest. She could smell the dwarves but they also smelled like the spider webbing so she figured they would be safe from what she was about to do. Though she took a deep breath through her nose and sniffed out the distinct hobbit smell and extended her magic toward him. She grinned at what he was doing, knocking the webbed-dwarves to the ground. And he was invisible, which was odd. She could only smell him; she couldn't see him.

_**Close your eyes, little hobbit.**_

She heard a loud yelp and waited a second or two before she dropped her head and touched her horn to the ground before drawing on the essence of her animagus form. She pushed the essence out and then watched as light took form around her and grew, touching everything in the clearing. The spiders all squealed in sudden pain, one or two of them falling off the branch they had been on. One or two of them dropped in front of her and blinked then skittered off as the stag chased them off. Miriel felt as all of the spiders skittered off and as her light ended, there were no spiders at all in the forest. The forest around her was also cleansed of the dark aura and magic; the trees pulling their branches apart to let sunlight through.

Miriel huffed out a horsey sigh then transformed back and looked around the clearing. The sun was shining in the clearing and the forest, at least the clearing, felt welcoming again. She turned to the stag who was once again standing patiently at her side.

"Would you go get Storm and bring him here?"

She had a feeling they would be seeing more elves, more of her kin in the next few moments. The blue stag galloped away.

But for right now, she helped Bilbo cut through the webbing over the dwarves. The dwarves grumbled about being helped by an elf but she just ignored them.

* * *

AN: Sindarin Translations:  
mellon- friend  
naneth- mother  
odulen an gin eithad- I'm here to aid you  
Man i eneth gîn- what is your name?


End file.
